Tacoma brakes

[Jonathan Hanson]

I thought I'd share a couple of things I've been learning about Tacoma front disk brakes.

Tacomas are known, rather sporadically, for developing what are mistakenly called "warped" front disks. That is, the brakes begin shuddering on high speed descents, then worsen until the problem is noticeable at lower speeds. Some people experience this at very low mileage; others never experience it at all. We noticed it first with about 100,000 miles on our truck, and replaced the rotors and pads with new Toyota parts. But the problem recently cropped up again, barely 30,000 miles later.

What is actually happening, I learned, is that the rotors are glazing--material from the pad cooks unevenly onto the rotor, producing the pulsing that feels like warpage. You can see the bluish deposits on the rotor by looking through the wheel. Our left rotor got it bad this time, and quickly ate through what was left of the pad, scoring the disk.

Word I get from several master Toyota mechanics (including my nephew) is that the problem is Toyota's choice of pad material. No one seems to be able to predict when or if the situation will appear--again, many owners never experience it.

This time I decided, again on advice, to try a different route. I installed Brembo rotors and Metal Master pads. Choice of rotors was mainly due to the fact that they cost less than factory rotors (despite being from the company that supplies Ferrari). But I'm told these pads should eliminate the glazing problem. I should have a followup report in another 50,000 miles or so . . .

http://www.stoptech.com/ Has some excellent information on the correct method for bedding in new brake pads to ensure long life and optimal performance.

 

[Suty]

Jon, I just replaced mine I had 72K on them, I bought some Drilled Rotors from IRotors and some of the Posi-Quiet Pads. I feel like my stopping has improved but, I will need to see how they last. Tu Compa, Suty

 

[Scott Brady]

This thread is well timed, as I need to address the brakes on my HEAVY Taco. Jonathan from TLC in So Cal is working on a set of better calipers with SSBC. That, combined with better pad material will improve stopping. Then I hope to source a set of crossed drilled or slotted rotors to improve fading and reduce glazing.

My brake performance at this point is unacceptable, so I need to make changes quickly...

 

[kcowyo]

My brake performance at this point is unacceptable, so I need to make changes quickly...

Note to self - Do not ride in front of Scott next week at the ExPo Rally! :xxrotflma

 

[Suty]

Note to self - Do not ride in front of Scott next week at the ExPo Rally! :xxrotflma

Sadly, I cannot attend this years expo, but , That Note to Self is too funny ,I don't care who you are. :xxrotflma

 

[asteffes]

Gentlemen,

My experience with upgraded brakes on track cars has taught me that cross-drilled rotors offer no significant improvement in performance while making it *much* more likely that one will experience severe rotor cracking in much less time than with solid or slotted rotors. The problem is that the cross-drilled holes create many little points on the rotor where stress is magnified and uneven. Eventually, after many heat cycles, the holes will develop small cracks. These cracks grow until they meet other cracks. Before you know it, you have a severe crack along the rotor surface from the inside to the outside edge of the rotor. When this happens you'll experience severe vibration and loss of braking effectiveness. You do *not* want this to happen when you're out in the middle of nowhere, and spare rotors are very heavy parts to carry with you.

I would respectfully suggest that you stick with OEM or aftermarket solid or slotted rotors, and stay far away from cross-drilled rotors of any kind.
-Adam

 

[Suty]

Gentlemen,

My experience with upgraded brakes on track cars has taught me that cross-drilled rotors offer no significant improvement in performance while making it *much* more likely that one will experience severe rotor cracking in much less time than with solid or slotted rotors. The problem is that the cross-drilled holes create many little points on the rotor where stress is magnified and uneven. Eventually, after many heat cycles, the holes will develop small cracks. These cracks grow until they meet other cracks. Before you know it, you have a severe crack along the rotor surface from the inside to the outside edge of the rotor. When this happens you'll experience severe vibration and loss of braking effectiveness. You do *not* want this to happen when you're out in the middle of nowhere, and spare rotors are very heavy parts to carry with you.

I would respectfully suggest that you stick with OEM or aftermarket solid or slotted rotors, and stay far away from cross-drilled rotors of any kind.
-Adam

OOPS, Too late know I have Drilled and Slotted. Guess I will need to keep a eye on them. Thanks for the info. Tu Compadre, Suty

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Another tip: Use your parking brake frequently. The ratcheting mechanism is what adjusts the rear brake shoes on Tacomas. Infrequent use of the parking brake might put extra stress on the front brakes, exacerbating the glazing problem and causing unbalanced braking.

Scott, maybe you should be the first to swap a set of ceramic disk brakes off a Porsche Carrera into a Tacoma . . .

 

[BajaTaco]

I must be one of the lucky guys. 128,000 miles on the original rotors. Maybe because I have a manual trans?

 

[asteffes]

I must be one of the lucky guys. 128,000 miles on the original rotors. Maybe because I have a manual trans?

Dealers and brake shops are fond of getting people to spend more than they should on brake jobs. I almost always hear that one should replace the rotors when changing the pads, but this isn't necessarily true. If you're sticking to the same pad compound, or moving to one slightly more aggressive, keeping the same set of rotors shouldn't cause any problems.

I tend to think one should replace rotors only when there are signs they are at the end of their lifespan. That is, when they show lots of microcracks on the surface or if they have worn past the factory-specified wear limit.

 

[bluerunner]

Wow!

Very informative! :bowdown:

 

[kevin]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought drum brakes self adjust when brakes are applied while traveling backwards, not from the parking brake. Anyway, Toyota should at least offer a rear disc option.

 

[p1michaud]

The parking brake adjusts your rear brakes on the Tacoma.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought drum brakes self adjust when brakes are applied while traveling backwards, not from the parking brake. Anyway, Toyota should at least offer a rear disc option.

Not the Tacoma. When you apply your parking brake it adjusts your rear brakes. I tried using the parking brake when travelling in reverse to adjust your rear brakes and it only cause me to have the rear brakes lock up before the front ones. Not good. I had to manually re-adjust the rear brakes.

I must be one of the lucky guys. 128,000 miles on the original rotors. Maybe because I have a manual trans?

I wish that had the same luck! I also have a manual tranny but have not had too good a luck with the Taco brakes. Here is the breakdown:

119K - New passenger side caliper, front rotors (cheap ones, mistake) and brake pads
127K - New driver side caliper
132K - Replaced passenger side caliper again and front brake pads because one piston was seized.
150K - New Brembo OEM solid rotors since the cheap one installed at 119K were badly warped also installed ceramic brake pads. Much much better performance over all.

Everyone had their opinion, but I like the performance of the Brembo solid rotors combined with the ceramic pads. Their dowside is that the pads sometimes squeal and make lots of brake dust but I can live with it.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Wow: Never heard of anyone having trouble with the actual calipers. They usually seem to live forever.

And I'll remember that about reversing and pulling the parking brake! Good idea, though . . .

I've also heard of many cracking problems with cross-drilled rotors, but none with slotted. You'll note you don't see cross-drilled rotors on Porsches or Ferraris--certainly not because they can't afford them.

 

[Scott Brady]

You'll note you don't see cross-drilled rotors on Porsches or Ferraris--certainly not because they can't afford them.

Excellent point.

Regarding brake performance, I am looking to the calipers to get me shorter stopping distances, and brake pad quality to help reduce fading...

I am going to start researching this in earnest in January.